Rapist gets 22 years, hard labour in PNG

A 34-year-old man from Pomio district in East New Britain was yesterday sentenced to 22 years jail with hard labour for raping a girl younger than seven years old.
The incidents occurred on two occasions last year at Run-Creek Plantation at Warangoi.
The man went on trial early last month at Palmalmal in Pomio during a court circuit. Trial was completed yesterday when the Kokopo National Court handed down its decision after finding the man guilty.
Kevin Gorae, of Bain village, denied the allegations from the start.
He told the court that one of the female witnesses told the court lies because she wanted him to go to jail so she could benefit from the proceeds of his tobacco sales.
However, the court observed that the witness and young victim were both confident.
The victim told what the accused did to her in March and again in October last year. She answered questions quickly and when she was asked to identify the accused, she stood up and pointed to him. The National